After tissue has been wounded or cut, the opening must be surgically closed to stop bleeding and enable healing of the tissue. In cases of severe wound and skin grafting, an insufficient amount of tissue can exist around the sides of the wound or surgical incision to allow the sides to be pulled together. Similarly, when diseased or blemished tissue is removed by surgery, insufficient tissue may be left around the perimeter of the removed tissue. These procedures are invasive and have substantial risks of complications, including that of infection.
One attempt to stem blood logs and to facilitate wound closure is application of a hemostatic agent, such as collagen, to the wound to form a wound dressing. The hemostatic agent, on contact with blood or other body fluids, adheres to the tissue and stems bleeding,
However, hemostatic agents are extremely hydrophilic. Upon contact with moisture from the wound or the atmosphere, the fibrillar hemostats have a tendency to clump and adhere tenaciously to any object. These objects include instruments, gloves, non-bleeding tissues and other surfaces in addition to the intended open wound or surgical incision. This clumping and adhesion takes application of the hemostatic agent to the wound difficult. Conventional apparatus intended to suspend particulates in a gas, such as are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,645, issued on May 27, 1986 to Hepp, and U.S. Statutory Invention Registration H257, are typically not suitable for application of hemostatic agents because the agents tend to agglomerate and consequently plug the apparatus.